Good Mistakes
by Invaderk
Summary: [AU] [LESS Friendship] If Lily's biggest mistake was saving him, then there is nothing to be sorry for. A story of friendship, moving on, of witty humor and Vanilla Chai!
1. Mistakes in General

A/N: So, this was stuck in my head recently, and I wrote it out longhand up to about chapter three. Then,I decided to post it in chapters. So, here you go. Rating is for slight language and voilence, but there's no sexuality at all, so, yeah.

Disclaimer: I own nothing... especially not Harry Potter

Happy Reading!

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**Good Mistakes**

**Chapter One: Mistakes in General**

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I still remember the day I found him; down to the very last drop of blood, and every word, and the string of life-changing events that occurred because of it. Looking back, it was a pretty – no really – stupid choice to make at the time, and I should never have done it. I should have gone straight to Dumbledore, but I didn't. I took matters into my own hands, I always do; call it a fault, if you like.

I had been about to leave the castle, having given a report to Dumbledore on certain irrelevant subjects to the story. I remember looking out the window and remembering all of the events that had once taken place in my years at the school. The day had been bright and beautiful – a summers day, to say the least. As I hurried along the corridor I glanced out the window nonchalantly, but I saw something I did not expect to see. I did a double take and back-pedaled to the window, not realizing that the first of a series of life-altering events was falling into place. Someone was staggering up towards the castle, obviously in very much pain.

I did not immediately recognize who it was, for he was stumbling as he clutched his side, his incredibly long hair swaying about his face. From my spot at the first-floor window, I could tell that he was bleeding profusely from his nose, and his robes were torn and dirty.

"Wait a minute," I breathed, my eyes widening in realization, "That nose…!"

I spun around and sprinted towards the front door for help, not stopping to think about how much danger I could have possibly been putting myself in. As I pushed open the giant door and ran outside, the man swayed, spun on the spot, and fell to the ground.

I gasped as he landed in a heap from his not-so-graceful plummet and when I finally reached him, his breathing had become erratic and his eyes were clamped shut, his hand still clenched over his side.

"You need help!" I exclaimed out loud, knowing that he wouldn't hear me and that I was making an obvious observation anyway.

When he didn't reply, though I hadn't been expecting him to, I grabbed him by the arms and prepared myself to drag him across the ground. To my surprise, however, I found that his dead weight was incredibly light, and that he couldn't possibly weigh more than a hundred pounds. So, I did the second stupid thing. I dropped to one knee, heaved him up over my shoulder and, wobbling slightly, carried him outside the gates and apparated to Godric's Hollow.

I appeared in my kitchen, still holding the limp, unconscious figure. Adrenaline pumping, I carried him over to my bedroom and carefully laid him down on my bed. I stepped back and took a deep breath; I had not seen him in years and yet he looked the same, under the wounds and blood. Only, there was something different about the starved, sunken look in his face, and that brought me back to reality. No twenty-five-year-old should weigh less than a hundred pounds; he needed help, and fast, for he was still breathing inconsistently. I ran out and into the kitchen, where I momentarily forgot that I was a witch and started heating water on the stove. I realized my panicked error and drew my wand from my pocket, pointing the wand at a bowl on the counter. Hot, steaming broth erupted from the tip and I held it over the bowl with one hand while I turned off the stove with the other.

I hurried back to the bedroom, my medical kit and the bowl of soup drifting behind in my wake. When I entered the room, though I had been gone for a mere minute, his expression was pained and his breathing was worse than ever…but he was still alive, and as long as he was alive, I could help him. Trying not to panic, I waved my wand and the medical kit floated next to me, and the soup landed gracefully on the desk across the room. I opened the med kit, opened the front of his robes, and began to search for his worst wound. It didn't take long to find; it was big, bloody, and looked like a knife wound – the one he had been clinging to as he stumbled across the school grounds. The wound didn't frighten me half as much as the fact that I could see each and every one of his ribs, and his stomach was oddly caved. I wondered what had happened to him, why he had been hurt so badly, and how they managed to get him. Back in school, he had been up to his eyes in dark curses and could defend himself magnificently.

"Ah Sev," I whispered with pity as I applied some disinfectant to his stomach wound, healed it as best as I could, and wrapped it in a bandage, "What have you gotten yourself into?"

My question was answered as soon as I pushed up his left sleeve to mend a hand wound. There it was; a tattoo-like brand with a skull and a snake protruding from its mouth. I shrieked in alarm and stepped back, letting his sleeve fall down and cover his dark mark. I was scared. Tears filed my eyes as I realized just how stupid I must have been to take him home in the first place instead of bringing him to someone of higher authority. I covered my mouth with my hand to stifle the scream that threatened to come fourth. He stirred, and I nearly jumped out of my skin.

"I've got to get help," I told myself, "there's a _Death Eater_ in my house!"

I turned to run for the door when a weak voice caused me to freeze in my tracks.

"No! Don't…"

I turned around to see that Severus had opened his eyes and was struggling to sit up, gasping for breath. I backed away a step toward the door.

"Don't get up!" I commanded, my voice shaking, "Or I'll get someone! I know kung fu!"

I was screaming at him, frightened into using muggle threats. Of course, kung fu would do me no good on a Death Eater.

"I wont hurt you," he gasped, closing his eyes and swallowing hard, "Just please…help me."

I was taken aback. Back in school, Severus would take help from nobody, and offend whoever tried to help him. He really _was_ helpless. I took a hesitant step forward, trying to see if he was telling the truth. The look in his beetle black eyes were telling me he would do no harm, so I headed back to his bedside. I watched him apprehensively, blood trickling down his face, and when I picked up my wand, he let out a breath and fell back upon my pillows.

"You're going to have to take that off," I pointed out, plucking at his disgustingly grungy robes.

He sighed and sat up. I helped him remove the top of his robes without agitating his newly-healed stomach wound, so that he was sitting there in a pair of trousers and shoes. He laid back down, as if removing his robes had exhausted him. As I tended to the rest of his wounds, his breathing slowed and returned to a normal pace and he closed his eyes in relief. As I was tying a bandage on his hand, which had a nasty cut on it, he looked over my head at the steaming bowl of broth.

"What happened to you anyway?" I asked casually, untying my failed knot and starting over.

"I'm feeling peckish," he said in a casual voice to match my own, "Give me some food and I might tell you."

I shot him a glare, pulled the knot tighter than I usually would have, and then I went across the room and picked up the bowl. I handed it over carefully to him, and he took a long sip, his eyes closed in ecstasy as the nutrition spread through his deprived body. I sat down at the foot of the bed after finishing with the last of his wounds.

"What happened?" I asked quietly.

Severus took another long sip of broth while he pondered his thoughts.

"I tried to quit," he said in what would have been a bitter voice, "and, you don't just quit being a Death Eater. But I'd had enough with their shit."

"How long had you been a Death Eater?" I asked.

"Seven years," he replied, "and I've been held captive for a bit over a year now."

I gaped, and then I felt an unpleasant twitch in my insides as I thought of what had happened to me a little over a year ago. Severus took another sip and continued.

"They kept me alive with just enough food each day, bread and water, mind you, and made sure I always ate – a fate worse than death, to be forced to live in such a horrible condition as you slowly wear away. In case you haven't noticed, I have been on the verge of starvation. Occasionally, your ex-buddy Wormtail would slip me an extra piece of bread, but eventually he was killed."

I didn't say anything for a moment, but stared at him and saw his frail frame and every one of his ribs. I cleared my throat, remembering the emotions I had felt when Sirius, Lupin, and I had found out that Wormtail had been responsible for the deaths of many Order members, and the betrayal and basically the death of... anyway, we had found his body later in a warehouse; he had apparently tried to get away from Voldemort, much like Severus had.

"I couldn't live like that," I said weakly, "Not for a year."

Severus shook his head, drained his bowl in one last gulp, a replied, "I didn't want to. Escape was always on my mind, but I was in a room where you couldn't apparate, and they snapped my wand upon entry."

I gasped. "No!"

"I got to the point where I didn't want to live anymore. I began to plan my own suicide."

He saw the doubtful yet shocked look on my face and continued, "Oh yes, I was going to take my own life. You would, too. One day Nott threw a plastic nail file at me and jokingly said I could try and file myself out like muggles in jail. We both knew that the bars on my door window were impenetrable and enforced with a steel charm. So, instead, I put the file to better work when nobody was watching."

I glanced at his wrists, but saw no marks of suicide attempt.

"But you didn't—" I said, staring at his wrists, but he cut me off.

"I never managed to finish my plan. You see, I wanted the quickest way possible to do it, and I saw once on a muggle vellytision show that a muggle bit his own wrists. Well, if you could do it with dull teeth, than I figured that you could do it faster with extra-sharp teeth. I took the file to my mouth."

He exposed to me his canine tooth, which was sharpened to a fine point.

"They caught me in the act, tortured me, and then put me on around-the-clock surveillance to make sure I didn't kill myself. Now I couldn't die, so I went back to trying to escape."

I pulled myself onto the bed completely and tucked my legs beneath me, my attention focused completely on the man sitting before me. I clasped my hands in my lap to show I was listening.

"Today, I got my chance. Crabbe was in the middle of giving me my food when a fight broke out between a few of the men and Crabbe, being the ignorant fool that he is, rushed out to join, completely forgetting that he had left the door open. Needless to say, I ran for it; I only needed to get outside the prisoner's place to apparate out, but they saw me running. They all started firing hexes at me, but I managed to dodge a deal of them using legimency. I did get a few nasty scratches on the way, though, as you saw."

He gestured to the bandage going around his waist and I grimaced.

"I should have brought you straight to Dumbledore," I said, shaking my head, "It was irresponsible of me to take you in."

"Well, my original intention was to seek aid from the Headmaster, who has always been forgiving. But this might actually be better," Severus replied, stroking his chin, "They cannot find me here, for they have no inkling of where I am, and this is the last place they would suspect. Your house is still under the protection of the Fidelius Charm, no?"

I nodded, wondering for a moment why my house was the last place for them to expect. My house had been put under the Fidelius charm after… well, Dumbledore figured I would be a top priority on the Death Eater's hit list. I twisted the diamond ring on my finger uncomfortably and bit my lower lip. Severus seemed to notice my discomfort and also looked uncomfortable. We sat in an awkward silence for a moment before I spoke up.

"You can stay; I don't mind," I said slowly, standing up and opening a dresser drawer.

I pulled out a male set of robes and tossed them to him. He caught it, looking surprised.

"There's clean sheets in the linen closet in the bathroom," I said, turning to walk out of the bedroom.

"Thank you," He said stiffly, but with a hint of relief, "I appreciate it."

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A/N: This gets a bit more interesting, and possibly amusing, so stick around for chapter two, why dont you?

Reviews, are, as usual, appreciated.


	2. The Truth Hurts, Right?

A/N: Chapter two, indeed. I would firstly like to apologize for the Pearl Harbor comment there is in this story; I don't want anyone to be offended, because I knew I would be. Anyway, the comment was supposed to be offensive, as you will find out.

Disclaimer: I own nothing… especially not Harry Potter

Happy Reading!

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**Chapter Two: The Truth Hurts, Right?**

The next day, I woke up at 5:30 as I usually do, and pulled myself off the couch. I had told Severus that since he was on the mend, he would be sleeping in the bed, and though he protested at first, he eventually obliged.

I walked as quietly as I could into the bedroom, being careful not to make any noise. I pulled my running clothes out of the drawer and was making my way out of the room when I stubbed my toe.

"Agh!" I hissed, trying to keep in the rush of swear words that wanted to come out of my mouth.

Too late; Severus stirred, rolled over, and opened his eyes.

"What are you doing?" He asked suspiciously, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

I stood guiltily, holding my clothes.

"I'm going for a jog. I didn't want to wake you. Sorry."

He looked at the clock and stifled a groan as he saw the time. He swung his legs out of bed and stood up, pausing to stretch and yawn. This was a strange sight to see for some reason; I always thought the Severus from school rolled out of bed each morning, still snoring.

"No matter," he said, rubbing his hands together in a business-like way and striding past me towards the door, "I shall prepare breakfast."

"Um, okay…" I replied with a hint of uncertainness.

I stood for a moment alone in the dark room, then shrugged, turned on the light, and began changing into my running clothes. I had just pulled on a long-sleeved spandex shirt when I heard a knock. I turned around to see Severus standing in the doorway, his eyebrows raised.

"What are you wearing?" he asked, and I looked down at my apparel; white spandex shirt and black spandex shorts.

I blushed and held up a pair of mesh shorts as I swept my red hair out of my face.

"Running clothes. Dynamic," I replied in a dignified way, stepping hastily into my shorts and pulling them over my spandex.

"Ahh," Severus said uncertainly, "Well, how do you like your eggs?"

I cracked a grin and replied, "Unfertilized. All puns intended!"

He rolled his eyes as I sniggered.

"Oh ha ha…" he replied sarcastically, leaning against the doorway.

I patted my stomach thoughtfully and said with a chuckle, "Well, I'll have four eggs, toast, honeydew, and some OJ please."

"That's a lot of food for one small which like you," Severus observed, and I smiled at him.

"It is if you're feeding for one," I replied sweetly, and ignored his brow-raised look.

"Right," he said slowly, as if he were trying to decipher my words, "I'll get on that."

"Tie that hair back!" I yelled, but got no reply.

Smiling to myself, I pulled a short-sleeved shirt on over my spandex, grabbed my shoes, and padded out into the kitchen, where Severus was pouring my OJ with a thoughtless expression. It was strange, seeing him this way. I was so incredibly used to the twitchy, snappy, angry teenager from school, and as I looked at him, I saw that he had grown up and that he faced many difficult times. He had a politely sarcastic, sardonic way of speaking, and seemed a tad bit more patient. He looked up at me as I entered the room, his hair in a ponytail as I had commanded. Damn, his hair was so long, but I figured that he hadn't exactly had the chance to cut it in the last year. It was, of course, greasy, and that reminded me of the Snape from school. Severus pushed my overloaded plate across the table at me and it stopped at the edge of the table.

"Your breakfast…mistress," he said mockingly with a little bow.

I laughed and sat down at the table with a word of thanks and began to devour my meal. I rolled my wand across the table and he picked it up and pointed it at a cup that sat on the table, empty. A jet of brown liquid shot out of the wand's tip so fast that it shattered the glass. He pursed his lips as I laughed out loud.

"You will never get such excellent results with another person's wand," I said in a matter-of-fact voice.

"Dually noted," he replied dryly, waving away the mess and repairing the mug.

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I stepped out the front door of the house and began my easy jog. As I passed the little shops of Godric's Hollow, my mind filled with thoughts of the past few days, like it always did when I was alone. Come to think of it, I had been alone for a while. After the..._incident_, I pulled myself away from everyone, and did only research for the Order. Occasionally, Remus or Sirius would stop by, but they soon stopped visiting me as they realized I was not one for talking much anymore. And now, with another man living in the house, it was like déjà vu all over again, only with a less comical character. It seemed that upon Severus' arrival, I opened up a little and stuck my head out of the cave I had stayed in for so long – a little over a year. Not only that, but when the time came for him to go, what if I became too attached? What if I – and I get a gross feeling thinking about it – began to actually, well, more than like him? I mean, it couldn't possibly get more ironic. Well, it could, but only if –

I stopped in my tracks as a horrific realization dawned upon me. _Of course_. The awkward silence, the slightly apprehensive way that he was acting toward me – he _knew_. I turned on my heel and sprinted the half-mile back to the house, where I opened the door and walked in, panting and clutching a stitch in my side. The house was silent. I walked quietly into the kitchen, but stopped in the doorway. There he was, Severus, with his back to me. He looked as if he was sword fighting an invisible person, and I couldn't help but watch in awe. In his hand was my long, wooden soup spoon, and his footwork was so hypnotizing that I almost forgot why I had come back to the house. He spun around in a (what I figured must have been) defensive maneuver when he saw me. He stopped moving, the spoon still in his hand. His eyes darted from me, the redhead clad in running clothes, to the wooden spoon. He stuck the spoon behind his back and coughed.

"You have returned… early," he said conversationally, reverting to his normal manner.

"Yes, I uh," I started, but I didn't know how to start, so I plowed on without an introduction, "I mean, you know, you were a Death Eater once and I was just wondering… why you quit."

He stared at me with a hard, unreadable expression for a moment before turning his back to me and walking towards the sink. The spoon, I saw, was sticking out of his back pocket. He rested his hands on the edge of the sink, elbows bent, and leaned over the edge, his hair hanging loosely about his face.

"Before I say anything, I want you to understand something," he said flatly.

"Yes?" I asked, knowing already where this conversation was going, and dreading every second of it.

"James and I, we always hated each other. But I never – _never_ – wanted to…wanted to…"

His knees buckled and I rushed forward to help him. I took his arm and steered him to a chair, into which he collapsed into and leaned onto the table. I sat down into the chair next to him and watched anxiously. His hands were white and shaking, but his voice was strong, though he seemed to have a hard time forcing the words out.

"They made me do it. After all, he was vital to the Order and without him, the Order had less chance of success. By this time, I was already beginning to regret my decision of joining the Death Eaters, and I had been toying with the idea of escaping the Dark Lord."

His voice filled with bitterness as he continued.

"So, they captured him - and that was no easy task, mind you."

I felt a surge of pride toward James.

"They brought him toward me, and he tried communicating with me using legimancy. I don't know what he tried to say; I implied occlumancy against him. Then I did it. No torture. No foreplay. No extra words. I just… I just killed him."

At this point, I did not cry as one might expect. Nor did I lose my head and attempt to strangle the man before me. My vision of James' death that haunted my dreams had included torture and pain. In a way, hearing this story calmed me somehow and cleared my conscience. James had died quickly and painlessly, or as painless as death is. Yes, I was sad that he was gone, and that we had so little time together before he died, but I also knew that no amount of grieving would bring him back, nor would attacking Severus. I looked up at Severus, whose hands were wrapped firmly around his mug from breakfast, and he was peering into the mug with a vacant expression. He sat there for a moment, both of us in silence, before he looked up at me.

"You don't have to forgive me," he said, and I gawked at him.

"Forgive you? For being forced to do a Dark Lord's bidding? I know you didn't want to do it, Sev, I'm not stupid. He's gone, and I know it, and I know you did it," I reached across the table and put a hand on his arm, "There is nothing to forgive! James, well, as much as I love him, I know he is gone. I cannot change that, but I know that he wouldn't have wanted me to mope around for the rest of my life. I have to move on."

"Well said," Severus said, his eyes still on the mug in his hands.

I leaned back in my chair and sighed. I hadn't released my thoughts for a long time.

"And now I have to ask you a question," Severus said, turning to face me with a grim, yet curious expression.

"Yes?" I asked apprehensively, wondering what he could possibly want to ask.

"Whose child are you bearing?"

My jaw literally dropped in surprise. I shut my mouth, and then opened it again in disbelief.

"How did you –?" I asked, but Severus merely looked at me.

"'It is if you're eating for one'? Come on, Evans, let's face it; you drop hints like bombs on Pearl Harbor and you never were a good occlumens."

Ordinarily, I would have told him off for the Pearl Harbor comment, but I was in a state of shock (not to mention I was slightly impressed) that he had found out in less than a day.

"Well, that's completely irrelevant to our previous subject," I said stiffly.

Severus glared at me and I shrank under his stare.

"James'," I replied in a voice that was not my own.

Severus crossed his overly-thin arms and looked at me disbelievingly.

"I can count, Evans, and I know that's not possible. And you don't even look pregnant. Who is it?"

I smiled and replied sweetly, "Well thank you, Sevvy Dearest, for that uplifting comment. But the last time I checked, my surname was Potter, not Evans, and I am going to have his child."

"That still doesn't answer my question," Severus persisted coldly.

I crossed my arms and replied, "Yes it does. James Potter is the father. When we first got married, we put aside some of his…_DNA_ in a muggle facility just in case something were to happen. Bad times, as you well know, were coming, and we knew it too. Of course, we, or at least I, never thought anything was going to happen, but I'm glad we took the precaution."

I patted my abdomen affectionately.

"I see…" Severus said, raising his head to stare at the ceiling.

He suddenly stood up and put his cup in the sink, where it began to wash itself.

"I have a task," he said, turning to me.

"And what would that be?" I asked in a mock-serious tone, "Can I be of any service?"

"Definitely not," he replied, "I require a shower and a scissors."

"Interesting combination," I said, arching a brow, "The shower I can understand, because you are as greasy as ever. The scissors in the shower however…"

"Not _in_ the shower! After I wash it, I need to dispose of this," he tugged at his ponytail, "I cannot live like this much longer."

I stood up and put the now clean mug back into its cabinet, "Alright, if you want me to cut your hair for you, I'll be just a room away. Here are the scissors."

I thrust the sharp scissors into his hands as I continued to tidy up the kitchen, knowing that the last thing Severus would do was call on me to cut his hair.

A little while later, Severus emerged from the bathroom, looking a bit more dignified than before. His hair just barely touched his shoulders when he moved, and he was holding himself in a more proud kind of way. This, too, was different from the Snape I used to know, who walked with his head bent low as if against a storm. He grinned at me when he came out of the bathroom and spun around once.

"Much better," I said with a nod of approval, looking up from my book with a look of sheer interest.

"I thought so, as well," he replied coolly, "I, however, lack some things that I need desperately."

"And these things would be what?" I said.

"First and foremost, a wand. I cannot use yours, for fear of destroying something. Second, I need some clothing of my own; I feel awkward and intrusive in my enemy's old clothing."

I personally agreed with this last comment. Severus was just no James, and definitely not built like him.

"That can all be arranged," I said calmly, placing my book to the side, "We'll go into town tomorrow at noon. We can disguise you and do some shopping."

"Disguise?"

"Yes, did you think we'd just go marching you around with Voldemort's spies looking for you? I didn't think so." I said as he shrugged one shoulder up and down.

I had plans for tomorrow morning, but I wasn't going to bother Severus with them, and I would hopefully be back by the time he woke up. I would just have to make sure that I had my clothes on the couch instead of in my bedroom.

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A/N: Chapter 3 coming very soon. Once again, apologies for the offended. 


	3. Vanilla Chai and Poker

A/N: Last chappie of the night, so enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing… especially not Harry Potter

Happy Reading!

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**Chapter 3: Vanilla Chai and Poker**

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The next morning, I skipped my jog and dragged my sorry carcass out of bed at five thirty. I was starting to see the signs of my pregnancy, and I was feeling some mixed emotions over it. I mean, all women feel self-conscious during their pregnancy, do they not? And I was without a warm, loving James Potter to tell me that I look great, even if he doesn't think so himself.

Anyway, I changed into my day clothes, applied a trace amount of cover-up over my dark circles, and apparated before the gates of Hogwarts school. I hurried up the slopes and sent my patronus out in front of me to tell Dumbledore that I had arrived. When I reached the front door, I found that it was unlocked and I hurried up to the headmaster's office.

I reached the top of the stairs and knocked on the door.

"Enter," Came a voice from inside, and I did so.

Dumbledore was sitting at his desk, watching me with a curious expression. He gestured towards the chair in front of his desk, and I sat down gratefully.

"My dear Lily, for what reason do I have the pleasure of greeting you so early in the morning? And how is your child doing?" he asked, his blue eyes twinkling behind his spectacles.

I clasped my hands together and told him that the pregnancy was going fine. I then struggled to find the words to start the conversation I had came to discuss.

"Well, Albus, I made a mistake," I said, "But I am not sure if it was a bad mistake or not."

I proceeded to tell him about my finding of Severus, my helping him, and my discovery of his most recent years, including the killing of my late husband. When I finished the story, I looked down at my feet and waited for a scolding of sorts. The answer I received was not what I had been expecting.

"Ahh, mixed blessings, how often they do come about. I do not think that what you did was a mistake. Perhaps, a little unwise, considering the circumstances, but not a mistake."

I looked up at the headmaster, who was gazing at me thoughtfully.

"You see Lily, when you took in Severus without consent, you opened up your heart for the first time in a long time. It would seem that Severus has done for you what nobody else has been able to do," he said.

"You mean kill my husband?" I said sarcastically.

Dumbledore gave a chuckle and said, "No, I mean he has begun the process of befriending you. Before you contradict me, let me explain. After the death of James, you locked yourself up at home – both literally and figuratively. You have not had casual conversation with another person in a long time, at least voluntarily. From what you tell me, you have had conversation with Severus, and you have done it without _him_ approaching _you_. You have begun to open your heart to another person, and that, Lily, is progress."

"But I don't know what I am supposed to be feeling right now," I said, shaking my head, "I mean, he killed James! Most people in my shoes would go berserk, not befriend Severus."

"The fact that Severus killed James is no more than that – a fact. Severus did not _want_ to kill James, nor did he kill him voluntarily. I suggest, because that it is probably a subject of sensitivity for the both of you, that you disregard the fact. It may seem hard, but I am not telling you to forget James. I merely think that you should not look upon _Severus_ as James' killer, but Lord Voldemort. It is because Voldemort that Severus was forced to kill James in the first place."

It made sense to me, and I said so.

"However, housing a wanted, former Death Eater at your house is tricky business," Dumbledore continued in a grave voice, "And you should be wary if you should decide to take him into London, as always. Know your options and keep your head up. I do think that keeping Severus at your home would be the best idea, seeing as your home is protected by the Fidelius, and I have no intention of giving away your whereabouts."

Our conversation continued without any other important aspects, or at least aspects worth mentioning. I thanked the Headmaster, stood, and headed towards the door. My fingers were about to touch the handle when Dumbledore spoke to me again.

"And Lily, one last thing…"

I turned around and faced the Headmaster, who was sporting a small smile.

"When the time comes, think about your future, and not so much of the present. It would seem that your future child has everything but one aspect – and a rather important aspect, at that."

We shared a silence for a moment, his eyes on mine, before I nodded, turned the handle of the door, and left.

I stopped at the Starbucks in London closest to Godric's Hollow on my way home to get myself a treat from my childhood. Back before I knew I possessed magic, my mother and I would go to Starbucks every Sunday and get a Vanilla Chai. This was a memory from my childhood that I loved immensely, and I often stopped by the café on Sundays. When I walked in the door, I was greeted by the cheeky Muggle cash register-worker.

"The usual?" he asked me with a smile.

"Yes, but double that order, if you don't mind," I replied with a smile as I approached the register and drew a twenty-pound note out of my pocket; I carried Muggle money for times like this.

"Ooh," said the boy at the register, "Have you found yourself a nice bloke to buy a Chai for?"

"Yes, I suppose you could say that," I replied, handing over the note.

"Shame, I thought I was your man," he said in a mock-sadness tone.

I laughed and replied, "Don't worry; as long as you keep the Chais coming, you are my man."

He laughed, too.

"Good. I don't want to lose my favorite customer," he said, winking as he handed me my change. Someone placed two hot Chais on the counter, which I scooped up in both hands after pocketing my change.

I thanked him and left the café, the little bell on the door ringing merrily behind me.

> > > > > > 

I managed somehow to open the front door with my hands full of bags and Chais. I had stopped on the way home to pick up a few ingredients from the Apothecary for my monthly brew. Anyway, I walked into the house and backed into the door so it would close. Standing in the main entranceway was Severus, looking cross and pajama-clad. His arms were crossed across his chest and he was glaring at me with a frustrated expectancy.

"So, where did you go this morning?" he asked icily, his narrowed beetle-black eyes burning figurative holes into my stomach.

I stepped forward and shoved the warm Chai I had purchased into his hands. He looked at it, startled slightly out of his anger.

"What is this?" he asked, bringing the travel cup up to his long nose and sniffing the contents suspiciously.

"It's not poisoned, and I think you'll like it," I replied cheerfully, sipping my own and savoring the vanilla-cinnamon taste in all its glory. "Mmm…"

"Yes, but what is it?" Severus persisted impatiently.

"It's good, just drink it," I replied, taking another sip.

Severus brought the cup to his thin lips and took a tiny sip. His eyebrows shot up in surprise, and he looked into the cup as if he had never seen something to amazing.

"It's pretty good," he said, and took another longer sip, "Actually, it's quite good."

He quickly chugged the rest of the Chai and smacked his lips greedily. He looked at me, ignoring the slightly scandalized expression on my face. His eyes fell on the cup in my hands.

"Are you going to finish that?" he asked in a voice that would have been casual had he not been flexing his fingers and shifting on his feet.

I quickly dropped my bags and cradled my Chai away from his view.

"You can't have this! It's mine, pig!" I said, and took a protected sip, "It's your fault you drank yours all at once!"

He grumbled something that I did not catch and marched into the kitchen. I picked up bags and followed suit. I dumped the bags on the kitchen table, finished my Chai with one last swig and let out a sigh on contentment. Severus came over to where I stood and picked up a bag.

"These are all the ingredients for Wolfsbane," he observed, glancing at all the ingredients on the table, "A recent discovery, the Wolfsbane potion, no?"

I nodded and picked up a bag of something and said, "I am a practiced and accomplished brewer."

"You're not a werewolf, are you?" he asked bluntly, and I laughed.

"No, of course not!" I replied, gathering all my ingredients into a heap on the table, "I'm brewing it for dear Remus. He never was much of a potion-maker."

"Agreed," Severus said with a nod, "So he will be stopping by, I presume?"

I nodded and he made a strange noise that reminded me of a dying cat, his features contorting with loathing. I ignored him and brought my cauldron out from under the sink and placed it on the stone floor. He stood and watched as I sank to the ground and started a contained fire under the cauldron and began making the potion. He handed me ingredients as I asked for them, and occasionally gave me a helpful hint or two.

"You don't need the potion-making book?" he asked, but I waved away his question.

"Of course not, I've made this potion a billion times," I said, about to pour a measured amount of lacewing into the potion when –

"Don't!" Severus exclaimed, and my hand froze with the lacewing about to be poured into the potion.

"What?" I asked impatiently.

Severus glared at me and replied, "It's a half cup lacewing, not a whole cup. You would have killed him."

I felt my face drain of color as I realized he was right. I emptied half of the cup and took a deep breath.

"Thanks, Sev," I said, "You're a life saver."

Severus said something I didn't hear, and I continued with the potion, being a lot more careful than before. An hour later, the cauldron was simmering away on the floor, and I had finished tidying up my mess. I washed my hands in the sink and I turned to Severus, who was standing against the wall, his arms crossed.

"We'll go into town in about a few minutes, alright?" I said, drying my hands on a towel.

"Yes, I suppose." Severus replied, "I'll be ready momentarily."

Five minutes later, we had flooed into Diagon Alley. I dusted off my robes (I hate floo travel) and watched as Severus stepped gracefully out of the fire and patted his robes down. He had done a charm on himself so that he could be properly disguised. He now bore a resemblance that shockingly reminded me of Sirius, though he still had his Severus-like figure for the purposes of getting his robes fitted. The combination was extremely awkward. I clapped my hands together and smiled.

"Excellent!" I said cheerfully, "Let's go to Gringotts first, shall we?"

Severus nodded and we were on our way. We went to Malkin's where he purchased several new robes, and Ollivander's, where he got a new wand. Ollivander somehow recognized Severus right away, but I made him promise not to say that we had paid a visit. We left a few minutes later, Severus thoroughly inspecting his new willow wand with a smug expression on his face. We flooed back to the house, as we could not apparate there, and I began setting the table and making dinner. Severus, now looking like himself again, hauled my cauldron out of the kitchen, and when he came back, the table was set for four and I was arranging some flowers for the centerpiece. Severus' eyes narrowed as he counted the plates on the table.

"Four?" he asked skeptically, looking up at me from the plates I had arranged.

I wiped my hands on my shirt and bustled back over to the stove, where I was cooking a pot roast, potatoes, and spaghetti.

"Yes, four. Don't tell me I forgot to tell you that I'm having Remus and Sirius over for dinner?" I asked calmly, though my insides were squirming uncomfortably.

Severus suddenly looked angry as he replied, "You might have forgotten to mention that detail."

I wrung my hands.

"Well, now you know," I said in a voice I hoped was confident.

"Well, in that case, will not be joining you," Severus said, looking malicious.

I gaped.

"Yes, you will!" I exclaimed, feeling anger creep up from the pit of my stomach, "If you're going to live here, you're going to do as I say!"

"Then I do not wish to stay any longer!" Severus said angrily, and stomped out of the kitchen towards the front door.

My eyes grew wide and I ran after Severus, who was opening the front door. I caught up to him and closed the door, and then stepped between Severus and his way out. Panting, I pushed the hair out of my face that had escaped from the ponytail.

"No! You_ must_ stay!" I pleaded, "You'll be killed if you go!"

He looked as if he wanted to hi me, but he held himself back.

"I can take care of myself! I don't need help from _you_." He hissed, trying to get around me to the door.

I blocked his path again, and he finally growled, picked me up, and moved me over. He turned the knob on the door and stepped outside. I stomped my foot, tears in my eyes.

Severus was halfway down the steps when I screamed, "You coward!"

I had obviously struck a nerve. He stopped in his tracks, rigid, and spun around. He drew his wand and pointed it wand at me, fuming.

"What-did-you-call-me?" he hissed.

"You heard me!" I yelled, letting a tear escape from my eye and slide down my face, "I said you're a coward! You can't even be man enough to face a childhood enemy!"

He took a deep breath, stuffed his wand back in his robe, and walked back into the house, seemingly trying to stay calm. His hands shook.

"I am not a coward," Severus said, stomping by me and into the bedroom.

I jumped as I heard the door slam violently, though I was glad that I had succeeded in keeping Severus safe.

An hour later, I stood back from the table proudly, admiring the beautiful dinner that I had prepared. I patted my stomach and smiled.

"Just wait," I whispered to the fetus that could not hear me, "You're gonna love this."

As I said that last comment, the doorbell rang, and a flounced from the room to answer the door. I turned the handle and stepped back, allowing Remus and Sirius to come inside.

"Lily!" Sirius exclaimed, putting the flower vase that he had been holding into Remus' hands and giving me a giant bear hug, "Long time, no see!"

"It's nice to see you, Sirius," I said, and then gave Remus a hug, "And you, too, Remus."

"You look awfully cheerful," Remus said with a smile, handing the vase back over to Sirius, "I don't remember the last time the three of us shared a meal together."

"Yeah, you've been hauled up in this cave forever," Sirius said in agreement.

I shuffled my feet and force a smile. I had, indeed, been cooped up in my house, and for a long time at that. But it wasn't my being cooped up that was bothering me.

"Hey, guys," I said slowly, "We're not eating alone today."

"What do you mean, Lily?" Remus asked, and a look of concern flickered over his face.

"Well, you see, there's someone that's –" I began, but just then, the door of my bedroom opened and Severus stepped out, looking strangely rehearsed.

There was a crash as Sirius dropped the vase, which hit the floor and shattered, sending flowers everywhere. I stared, slightly panicked, back at Sirius and Remus to see that Sirius' mouth had dropped, and Remus suddenly had an extremely closed look about him.

"_Snivellus_?" Sirius said, turning to me in disbelief, "What's _he_ doing here? Was he in your _room_? What's going on?"

"Yes, I would also like to know what's going on," Remus said gravely.

I opened my mouth to speak, but Severus strode over to my side and spoke for me.

"Lily has kindly offered me a place to stay for the time being," he said coldly.

"Oh really?" Sirius said, "Well, well…"

Sirius couldn't seem to think of a smart-aleck comment to make, so he merely stood there glaring. As the two men glared daggers at each other in silence, I stood there with my hand over my face in an exasperated way, while Remus stood there, stony-faced. Unable to think of anything to say, Sirius fixed the vase, stuffed the flowers back into it, and handed it to me. I took it with a word of thanks and motioned towards the kitchen.

"Let's eat, shall we?" I asked with a pained smile on my face.

The three men and I walked into the kitchen and they took their seats. I served them, trying desperately to start up a civilized conversation. I finally got Remus talking about his latest attempts at getting a job, and we all sat down and began to eat.

"I mean, it's not like I even have a record of attacking people!" Remus said thoughtfully as he took a sip of pumpkin juice.

"Well, it looks to me like they need a good biting," Sirius said, brandishing his fork, which had a bit of pork on the end of it, "That'd set 'em straight!"

"I don't think so," I said, then turned to Remus, "Why don't you work at Hogwarts? I'm sure Dumbledore would be more than happy to help you."

Remus looked thoughtful.

"You know, Lily, that's not a bad idea," he said slowly, "Maybe someday I'll give it a go."

Severus had been oddly quiet all evening, though he ate his food with a grim look on his face. He didn't join in as we discussed Remus, my pregnancy and when I was due, or even when we talked about Sirius' faults. ("You are a bit full of yourself," Remus observed.)

Happy, that I had made it through dinner without food being thrown, I stood up and waved my wand after everyone had finished eating. The plates all disappeared, as did the food.

"How about a friendly game of poker?" I suggested, conjuring a deck of cards out of nowhere.

"Excellent! I am the poker champion!" Sirius said, reaching out to deal the cards.

> > > > > > 

I sat at the table, my eyes focused on my cards. In front of me was a decent-sized pile of poker chips. I wasn't winning, but I wasn't doing too poorly, either. Remus was in second place, and Sirius was in last place, looking rather glum with his two chips. Severus, on the other hand, was winning by a vast amount.

"I win, again," Severus said, placing his cards down face up and pulling the entire pile of chips towards him.

Sirius let out a groan and slapped his cards down on the table.

"He's got to be cheating!" Sirius said, "We said _no legimency_, Snivellus!"

Severus smirked behind his pile of chips. Remus checked his watch and yawned.

"Sirius and I have got to be going," Remus said, pushing his chips away and standing up, "Thanks for the potion, Lily."

"No problem," I replied, putting my cards down and standing as well, "It's been nice seeing you both!"

I gave each of them a hug in turn, and they left, Remus carrying the last of the potion in a jug. I waved the cards and chips away with a yawn, and plopped down into a chair next to Severus.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" I asked.

"It could have been worse," Severus agreed, placing the tips of his fingers together.

"Cheers," I said cheerfully, standing up and pushing in my chair. "Oh, and by the way," I said, "I visited Dumbledore this morning. He thinks its best for you to stay here for the time being."

Severus said nothing in reply, but nodded, stood up, and pushed in his chair.

"In that case," he said, "Since I am quite well besides being a bit on the thin side, I think it best that you sleep in your room."

I raised a brow at him, "Are you sure?"

"Quite," he replied, "I shall be as discreet as possible during my stay."

With that, he turned on his heel and marched off to go to sleep. I chuckled to myself; men are so strange. Especially Severus, who doesn't seem to want to talk more than necessary.

It was at this point that I realized just how far I had come on the road of recovery since Severus arrived. My feelings for him were purely friendly, but he did something for me that cheerful Sirius couldn't do, nor could tired (yet friendly) Remus. I was not sure what it was, exactly, but it was there.

However, one thing I didn't realize was just how soon it would be before I saw Sirius and Remus again.

* * *

A/N: Mwuahaha…? That's all you get for tonight, seeing as I haven't written any more recently. The Chai thing, btw, was much like my first experience with a Vanilla Chai.

Reviews are wonderful, in case you didn't know.


	4. A Terrible Name

Oh my dear lord, I am stupid. I finished this back in early April and I forgot to post it! I am truly an idiot and I apologize for inconveniencing anybody. Anyway, this is the last chapter. Thanks to all that have stuck with me through this whole thing, and I hope you like this last chapter as much as I do!

Disclaimer: I own nothing... especially not Harry Potter

Happy Reading!

* * *

**Chapter Four: A Terrible Name**

I awoke in my room a few days after Sirius and Remus had visited and found that I had overslept. Scowling, I got out of bed, took my shower, and began doing laundry. I heaved up the bucket-full of clothes and carried it out into the living room.

Sitting on the floor with his legs crossed and his hair tied back out of the way, was Severus. He was concentrating and measuring some random ingredient, his cauldron strategically placed in front of him. When I entered the room, he looked up from his scales and nodded once. I placed my basket on the couch that he had his back to and began folding laundry.

"Good morning," he said cheerfully, dumping the contents of his scales into the cauldron, which hissed dangerously.

"You sound awfully chipper this morning," I mused, "Should I be afraid?"

"Possibly," he replied, stirring the contents of the cauldron with a ladle.

I held up a pair of trousers.

"Wanna help me fold laundry?" I asked hopefully.

He looked up at me from the corner of his eye, his brow raised.

"Absolutely not."

I shrugged, "It was worth a try. What are you making anyway?"

Severus added a counterclockwise turn to his otherwise clockwise turns and rested the ladle on the edge of the cauldron.

"I'm not sure," he said, and I looked up in alarm, "I mean, it's supposed to be one of those things you bought yesterday, but it seems to be taking its own course."

I folded a shirt and laid it on the couch, and then put my hands on my lower back. Wow, being pregnant is not easy; I was suffering from major backaches.

"Well, just don't melt the house down," I said, going back to my laundry as if people always made unknown potions in my home.

Something hit me in the head and I spun around, a shirt still in my hand. A galleon was lying on the floor innocently, sparkling in the sun's rays. I bent over and picked it up, and then looked at Severus questioningly.

"What's this for?" I inquired, holding up the galleon.

"Another one of those things," he said, his eyes still fixed on his concoction.

"A Vanilla Chai?" I asked, "They're made by muggles."

"Oh," he said, looking crestfallen, "Well, I haven't any Muggle money,"

"It's alright," I replied, pocketing the galleon, "I've got you covered. I'll keep this galleon and buy you as many Chais as a galleon would buy – just, in muggle money."

He spared me a smile before returning to his work. I finished my household chores before dropping into Starbucks and buying a round of Chais. When I returned, Severus quickly downed the Venti Chai I had purchased and cleaned his cauldron with an extra bounce in his step. I chuckled; apparently, he wasn't used to caffeine.

Later in the day, after I had finished cleaning up my mess from lunch, which had included macaroni and cheese, which I had never been able to eat without making a mess, the doorbell rang several times in a row. Severus and I shared a look of confusion before I ran to the door, Severus close behind with his wand at the ready. I opened the door to see a large group of Order members, standing with Sirius and Remus and cheering.

"What's going on?" I asked Remus, who was also grinning, though he looked tired.

"He's gone!" Remus exclaimed.

"Who?" Severus asked, stepping into the doorway with me, "Who's gone?"

"Voldemort! Last night, we received a message from Dumbledore saying that he had discovered his whereabouts, and we launched a surprise attack!" Sirius said, pushing a bottle of gillywater into my hands and grinning broadly.

Severus and I shared a concerned look, and I knew we were thinking the same thing.

"Were there any casualties on our side?" he asked incredulously, accepting a bottle of butterbeer that someone handed him.

Sirius shook his head along with several other people.

"He was only with a handful of others, and we outnumbered them easily. A hundred to five!" said a portly man nearby.

I broke out in a smile that I was sure would knock someone over. All the pent up emotions I had held – all the fear and the anger and the hope – suddenly came fourth. I burst into tears and threw myself onto Remus, sobbing hysterically.

"Oh my god!" I choked, covering my mouth with my hands, tears falling freely down my cheeks, "I can't believe it's over!"

I kissed Remus and the Sirius on the cheek and smiled broadly.

"I love you guys so much!" I said, wiping a tear away with my finger.

Remus smiled warmly.

"Let's go and celebrate, shall we?" he said, and I looked back at Severus, who was leaning against my doorway, a small smile on his lips.

"Come on, Sev!" I exclaimed, and he shrugged and followed us.

o0o0o

The crowd that had gathered at the Leaky Cauldron was so large that the owner, Tom, had to do an expanding charm to fit in all the people comfortably; I don't think that he ever had such good business before. All sorts of people were there. Order members, including Albus Dumbledore himself, and anti-Voldemort people. Actually, even random civilians had come to join the celebration. Muggles walking nearby looked alarmed at all of the strange people dressed in robes running around, whooping and giving each other hugs and handshakes. I sat on a barstool between Severus and Sirius, sipping my gillywater and watching the crowd happily. Sirius was talking animatedly to Tom about the battle, helped along (and sometimes de-exaggerated) by Remus.

The smile on my face seemed to be frozen there; I was still shocked that everything was going to be alright; that I wouldn't have to lie awake in fear that Voldemort was going to find out where I was and kill me and my baby. I rested my speculatively hand on my slightly bulging abdomen and sighed in content. I took a swig of gillywater when a revelation occurred to me. James' murderer! He was dead, and avenged.

Yes, it had appeared that I had stopped thinking of Severus as my late husband's murderer. Dumbledore had been right – Severus hadn't wanted to kill James as much as he hated him, and he had suffered immensely for trying to get out of it all.

I looked over at Severus, whose bottle of butterbeer was clenched in his hand, untouched. His expression was very serious and pensive, and I wondered what he was thinking.

"A penny for your thoughts," I said to him, and he jumped, splashing his beverage onto his lap.

"What?" he asked dryly, absentmindedly siphoning the butterbeer from his robes with his wand.

"What are you thinking?" I translated.

He shook his head and tried to look as if he were enjoying himself. He took in a mouthful of his drink slowly and surveyed the crowd. I raised my eyebrows at him skeptically, and he frowned at me. He leaned over close to me so that nobody else could hear what he was saying.

"What of the Death Eaters?" He hissed angrily into my ear, "They are hungry for power. The death of their leader will only open a spot for a new one."

That was a good point. I elbowed Sirius in the ribs and he turned to me.

"What was that for?" he asked, rubbing the spot I had elbowed him.

"What did you do with all the rest of the Death Eaters?" I asked casually, with Severus listening intently over my shoulder.

Sirius gave a barking laugh and replied, "Them? We rounded them up quick enough. You see, they must have realized something was wrong, because as soon as we finished with the ones we had originally attacked, a whole mass of them apparated on the spot. We snagged them – caught them off guard."

"Excellent," Severus whispered from behind, a wicked grin flitting across his face.

Sirius eyed Severus charily for a moment. He pointed to his own eyes with his index and middle fingers, and then pointed to Severus with his index finger. He narrowed his eyes.

"I'm watching you, Snivelly," he whispered in a taunting voice, then turned back to Tom and Remus.

I turned my head slightly over my shoulder and Severus and I shared an amused expression. I turned to face him, grinning, and Severus tried to hide a smirk as he sipped his drink.

"Weirdo," Severus muttered to himself as he took another sip of his drink.

I didn't know why Severus was being so somber, but I figured that he was having a school-days relapse. He used to walk around, looking all sinister and thoughtful by himself. He wasn't much good at Quidditch or flying or anything physical, but he was so quick on his feet that it made you wonder if he practiced jumping up from a sitting position to make his reflexes stronger. And now, well, he seemed to be thinking a lot more than usual, which was saying something. Eventually, I grew tired of watching him and rose to my feet to join the festivities.

All over the bar, people stopped me to shake my hand and ask how I was feeling and to tell me what a wonderful day it was. All the while I smiled and said I was doing wonderfully and that the weather was glorious. And for once, I wasn't plastering a smile on my face – I was happy, and feeling like myself after all this time. The world was, at last, lacking fear. People kept offering to buy me drinks, which I politely refused because of my pregnancy. Nobody seemed to notice yet, which I didn't mind; they probably thought that I had just gained weight. I laughed at the prospect of this, for I exercised every day and ate relatively healthfully.

I was walking back to my barstool when Dumbledore waved me over to where he stood with Dawlish and Amelia Bones. They all shook my hand and grinned broadly, and then Dumbledore brought me over to a corner of the bar. He looked at me over his half-moon spectacles, smiling, and then spoke.

"How are you, Lily?" he asked.

I nodded my head and pursed my lips.

"Brilliant," I said cheerfully in reply.

"Good, good…" Dumbledore said, and took a sip of his beverage, "I think that it would be best for you to keep the Fidelius Charm on your house for the time being, just to be safe."

I furrowed my brows and lowered my glass. I gave a small tug on my ponytail and gave him a questioning look.

"Why, Albus?" I asked, pushing my bangs away from my eyes.

"Because," Dumbledore started, "I think that it would be best for the time being. Just as a precaution. You never know what might happen in the aftermath of Voldemort's downfall."

He merely smiled as I stared and waved a hand as he turned away.

"Good evening, Lily," he said, "And have fun."

Feeling slightly anxious, I strolled back over to my stool and sat down. Severus eyed me suspiciously.

"What was that about?" he questioned as I absently sipped my water.

I shrugged and replied, "Albus seems to think that I should keep the Fidelius on my house for the time being. Seems to think that it's a good idea. A precaution."

Severus nodded and said, "I think so, too. You never know what might happen in the aftermath of Voldemort's downfall."

I gaped at him.

"That's exactly what he said," I observed, but Severus merely shrugged.

"It's true," he responded, "You just want to live a normal life again, and believe that none of this ever happened."

He was right. I opened my mouth to retort, but I couldn't find anything to contradict him, so I scowled instead. He ogled me for a while with a hint of satisfaction before returning to his thoughts.

At probably about seven, I told Severus that I was ready to go home. He agreed and rose from his stool. I gave both Remus and Sirius a hug, and then Severus and I started for the door, pausing only for people to shake my hand and ask how I was doing. All the attention was strange – I knew that the people were all concerned for my well being (and possibly for my sanity) seeing as this was my first true public appearance since James' death. I was, contrary to popular belief, quite sane, and I was showing it rather plainly with my actions.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity or two, Severus reached the front door and pushed it open. He walked out, not bothering to hold the door for me, and stood in the crisp, night air. I joined him on the side of the road and took a deep breath, taking a moment to relish in the fresh air.

"Bit congested in there, wasn't it?" I said as we started down the street.

Severus pulled his cloak more tightly about him and looked up at the sky.

"Quite," he replied, and we stopped walking.

"See you in a moment," Severus said with a small smirk, and then turned on his heel and disaparated with a _crack_.

"Yes, I suppose I will," I replied to nobody in particular, and then apparated to my Godric's Hollow home.

o0o0o

I had just pulled a loose shirt on to complete my pajama ensemble when the door to my bedroom burst open and Severus ran in, clutching his left forearm. I turned to face him, startled. His eyes were open wide and he had an expression on his face that I could not identify. He shoved his arm under my nose, wrist up, and I tilted my head away, surprised at his lack of secrecy.

"Look!" he said, brandishing his arm in front of my face.

"Chill!" I exclaimed, and pulled his arm down so I could look at it better.

I gave him a cold look and studied his arm, which had nothing more interesting than a freckle on his wrist.

"I don't see anything!" I said briskly, and then apprehension dawned upon me and I gasped, "Wait! Oh my –! Sev! I can't believe it!"

His dark mark, which he had worn for many years as a reminder of who controlled him, was gone. We both stared at his forearm for a moment, our mouths ajar and our expressions blank except for our wide eyes. We looked up at the same time and closed our mouths. I gave a whoop and threw myself on him in an embrace. Startled at my sudden weight, his knees buckled and he almost lost balance. He caught himself and tried to look dignified.

"Oh Sev!" I exclaimed loudly, a huge smile spreading across my face, "You're free!"

I pulled myself away from him and saw that his expression was in shocked disbelief and his eyes were glued to his forearm. He looked up at me, his dark eyes full of thought.

"It's over," he breathed, and looked back down at his arm, "I'm _free_."

My action-packed day had drawn to a close. Thunder boomed overhead as I lay in bed, and as tired as I was, I couldn't fall asleep. Lightning streaked across the sky and I rolled over with my back to the window, trying desperately to clear my head so that I could sleep, but my attempts were in vain. Groaning as another clap of thunder sounded and rain pelted my window, I planted my pillow over my head to stifle any thoughts. My brain was chock full with information, and I could hardly keep my eyes closed, never mind actually falling into a slumber.

Grumbling, I threw my pillow across the room and sat up. I decided that I would go into the kitchen and get myself a midnight snack; maybe some cheese and pepperoni would help to make me drowsy enough to sleep if I didn't die from terrible breath. I dragged myself out of bed and padded into the kitchen, only to find that the sliding back porch door was open. Squinting in the dark, I stepped out onto the patio and slid the door shut behind me. There I found Severus, sitting in a rocking chair under the overhang. He had a mug in his hands full of what I could tell was hot cocoa. He was staring out into the rain, into space, and didn't acknowledge my entrance. A bolt of lightening streaked across the sky, illuminating his grim, yet thoughtful, expression.

"Rain is a funny thing, isn't it?" he murmured aloud, causing me to jump, "Peculiar. Sudden. It falls hard. Ends abruptly."

"What's your problem?" I asked, taking a seat beside him in an empty chair.

He turned to face me, his expression very much like the one he used to wear as a kid.

"Problem? What problem?" He snapped, "I have no problem."

I rolled my eyes at the ceiling. What a liar.

"Yeah, and my real name is Bob. Talk to me, Sev." I said in reply.

He fumbled with his mug for a moment before speaking. When he did, his voice was so low I had to lean in to hear him.

"I just…" he mumbled, "The war is over and everything is safe again. You'll be wanting your life back."

"Ahh…" I whispered to myself, seeing the problem instantly.

I sat up in my chair and sighed. A smirk fluttered across my face as Dumbledore's words came back into my head from the other day.

"_It would seem that your future child has everything but one aspect – and a rather important aspect, at that..."_

I made up my mind in a millisecond. I cocked my head to the side and peered at the man sitting before me.

"You know what?" I said to him with a grin on my face, and he looked up from his mug. "You've kind of grown on me, Sev. I don't know if you should leave."

"You're bluffing," he said guardedly.

"No, I'm not." I replied, crossing my arms and looking at him seriously, "Think about it. You have nowhere to go, and let's face it, I need someone to hang around here and keep me company."

I patted my stomach and added as an afterthought, "And to keep this little guy company, when the time comes. He'll have everything he could need except for one aspect – and a rather important aspect, at that."

Severus eyed me, still uncertain.

"And what aspect would that be?"

I sighed and looked straight into his eyes as I said, "A fatherly figure."

He gave me a searching look before saying slowly, "You know, Ev – _Potter_, I have no romantic interest in you."

I furrowed my brows before adding defensively, "Nor do I in you, Severus, I'm just saying I could use someone around here… to help me out."

Severus looked back down at his mug and let out a long breath, his brows raised.

"I haven't a job," he said bluntly, "Nothing to bring in money."

I raised an eyebrow and replied, "I hear old Sluggy's retiring from his position at Hogwarts. They'll be needing a new potions master."

Severus stared at me, his mouth the slightest bit ajar.

"Black is going to have a field day…" he warned in a sing-song voice.

I clapped my hands together once and grinned.

"So! You're staying then?" I inquired to clarify things.

"So it would seem," Severus replied in a hard voice, reverting his eyes to my abdomen.

He nodded towards my midriff and asked, "How do you know it's a boy?"

I patted my stomach with the usual affection and grinned slyly. I looked at Severus with confidence.

"Motherly instinct," I replied, and we both stood to go to our separate sleeping quarters.

"I've got a name, too. Harry James Potter. Waddya think?" I asked as Severus reached for the sliding screen door.

A ghost of a grin flitted across his face as he slid open the door and stepped back to allow me entry to the house.

"I think that's a terrible name," he said haughtily as I stepped inside.

"Thanks a lot," I replied dryly, though I was grinning.

This was merely the beginning of a long and interesting friendship, to say the very least.

o0o0o

_FIN_

* * *

A/N: Parting is such sweet sorrow. Sorry for the wait for this last chapter. thanks to my readers!

Here I must advertise my spiffy website, where yourdreams come true...? Not quite, but it's cool. Link is in 'teh' profile


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